For the last five years, the Los Ba&#241;os community has seen a tournament that has touched more hearts than anyone could have ever hoped for; even the people whose hearts were touched by a man long before the tournament made its debut.</p><p>Sam Cook was a fun-loving, happy and friendly person that always had a smile on his face. And anyone who knew him would describe him with the same words, both friends and family alike.</p><p>His love for the sport is what started the Sam Cook Memorial Men's Softball Tournament and his mother Hope Cook said having the tournament every year has been such a beautiful experience in memory of Sam.</p><p>"I'm at a loss for words to know he was loved by so many," Hope Cook said. "It's inspirational to see people coming to pay tribute to our son."</p><p>After the homerun derby last Friday night and the following day spent entirely in Sam's spirit at the tournament, Nevada Bretz and Paul Arambel, committee members and friends of the Cook family, agreed the tournament went according to the plan.</p><p>"We had a great turnout at both events," Bretz said. "We had about 30 hitters at the derby and the defending champ was the one who won again."</p><p>Katie Nelson, who was close with Sam Cook, her mother Trisha said, died 11 years ago at age eight. In her memory, the first place team of the tournament receives a baseball bat in honor of both Katie and Sam.</p><p>"We were all very close family-friends. We grew up together," Nelson said about the Cook family. "And that's what this is about. We're glad to keep the tournament alive and help benefit students with scholarships.</p><p>"The more funds we're able to raise, the more kids we can help stear in the right direction," she said.</p><p>Helene Mitchell, Sam's cousin, said Sam was able to light up the room whenever he was around and his family continues to miss him dearly.</p><p>"We come together every year to celebrate his life," Mitchell said.</p><p>Mitchell's mother, Virginia Contreras, who was also Sam's aunt, passed earlier this year, so bringing the family together in honor of Sam's annual tournament brought a similar celebration of Contreras' life, as well.</p><p>Sam's niece, Rachael Cook, said she also enjoyed being a part of the event, being there to support the tournament, as well as her family.</p><p>"It's wonderful to see everyone," Rachael Cook said. "He always had a team out here and it's the reason we do it every year. And it's a good way to get bring everyone together."</p><p>Hope Cook said she looks forward to seeing everyone come together each year because of how obvious the love for her son shines through the communuity's support, spending the day at the tournament with people who were closest to her son.</p><p>And his father, Bob Cook, was just as grateful for the love and support his family had received from the community.</p><p>"Even after five years, people keep coming to the tournament. It's really amazing to see," Bob Cook said. "It's just too bad it has to be under these circumstances."</p><p>The behind-the-scenes help that the family receives from the committee members is also something the Cook family is appreciative of, they said.</p><p>"After so many years, the committee is like family," Hope Cook said.</p><p>"We grieve for our son, but we have found strength in what these boys and families have done in supporting us," she said. "It just makes me grow stronger to know he left such a beautiful legacy.</p><p>Hope Cook said she recently applied a quote she'd heard to her own life.</p><p>"'Life's difficulties provide reasons to exercise faith. And to grow, faith needs exercise,'" she said, "and this is what has helped me to grow through this awful tragedy; my faith and the tournament."</p><p><i>Enterprise reporter Samantha Salas can be reached by phone at (209)388-6562 or by e-mail at ssalas@losbanosenterprise.com</i>